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Grime vs Scum - What's the difference?

grime | scum |

Scum is a synonym of grime.



As nouns the difference between grime and scum

is that grime is dirt, grease, soot, etc. that is ingrained and difficult to remove while scum is a layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water).

As verbs the difference between grime and scum

is that grime is to begrime; to cake with dirt while scum is to remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).

As a proper noun Grime

is {{surname|A=An|English}}, probably derived from Old Norse grimr or grimmr

grime

English

(wikipedia grime)

Noun

(-)
  • Dirt, grease, soot, etc. that is ingrained and difficult to remove.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=14 citation , passage=Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall.  Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime .}}
  • (music) A genre of urban music that emerged in London, England, in the early 2000s, primarily a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop.
  • Verb

    (grim)
  • To begrime; to cake with dirt
  • * {{quote-book, year=1862, author=Edwin Waugh, title=Home-Life of the Lancashire Factory Folk during the Cotton Famine, chapter=, edition= citation
  • , passage=All grimed with coaldust, they swing along the street with their dinner baskets and cans in their hands, chattering merrily.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1920, author=Harold Bindloss, title=Lister's Great Adventure, chapter=, edition= citation
  • , passage=Fog from the river rolled up the street and the windows were grimed by soot, but Cartwright had not turned on the electric light.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1918, author=Harold Bindloss, title=The Buccaneer Farmer, chapter=, edition= citation
  • , passage=His skin was grimed with dust, for he had ridden hard in scorching heat, and was anxious and impatient to get on.}} ----

    scum

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Noun

  • (uncountable) A layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water).
  • (uncountable) A greenish water vegetation (such as algae), usually found floating on the surface of ponds
  • The topmost liquid layer of a cesspool or septic tank.
  • (uncountable, slang, chiefly US) semen
  • (countable, derogatory, slang) A reprehensible person or persons.
  • (countable, derogatory, slang) police officer(s)
  • Synonyms

    * (layer of impurities) dross, impurities * (layer of impurities on molten metal) cinder, scoriae, slag * (person considered reprehensible) bastard

    Verb

    (scumm)
  • To remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).
  • To remove (something) as scum.
  • *1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.vii:
  • *:Some scumd the drosse, that from the metall came; / Some stird the molten owre with ladles great.
  • To become covered with scum.
  • *1769 , Elizabeth Raffald, The Experienced English House-keeper , pp.321-322:
  • *:Take the smallest Cucumbers you can get, and as free from Spots as possible, put them into a strong Salt and Water for nine or ten Days, or 'till they are quite Yellow, and stir them twice a Day at least, or they will scum over, and grow soft
  • (obsolete) To scour (the land, sea etc.).
  • *:
  • *:SOo by Merlyns aduys ther were sente fore rydars to skumme the Countreye / & they mette with the fore rydars of the north / and made hem to telle whiche wey the hooste cam / and thenne they told it to Arthur / and by kyng Ban and Bors counceill they lete brenne and destroye alle the contrey afore them there they shold ryde
  • *Milton
  • *:Wandering up and down without certain seat, they lived by scumming those seas and shores as pirates.
  • (obsolete) To gather together, as scum.
  • *1815 , Rudolf Ackerman and Frederic Shoberl, The Repository of Arts, Literature, Commerce, Manufactures, Fashions and Politics :
  • *:A great majority of the members are scummed together from the Jacobinical dregs of former periods of the revolution.
  • To startscum or savescum.
  • Anagrams

    * *